Today, Tuesday 18 April 2017, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety, Dan Plato, will launch a new Walking Bus initiative in Woodlands, Mitchells Plain.

The Walking Bus initiative aims to create a safe and supervised route for learners to and from school every day with the commitment and involvement of the community playing a central part to help create safer environments.

Since May 2016 Minister Plato has launched Walking Bus initiatives in partnership with communities across the Cape Town Metropole and recently expanded to communities in the Southern Cape.

The Walking Bus launch in Woodlands builds on the success of the Walking Bus initiatives already launched and are based on the demand from community members across the province who wishes to prioritise safety in their communities.

The Woodlands Walking Bus will see parents volunteering their time to help improve the safety of learners on their way to and from school in forming the ‘drivers’ of the ‘bus’ and will be supported by the Neighbourhood Watch (NHW), Community Policing Forum (CPF), the relevant school, the City of Cape Town Metro Police, Traffic, Law Enforcement, as well as the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Through the Walking Bus initiative, the parents, learners and educators of Princeton Secondary School, Woodlands Secondary School, Highlands Primary School, Woodville Primary School and Northwood Primary School are making safety a priority in their community.